Wine country · 2 hours north of Sydney
The best Hunter Valley wine tours
Cheese and wine tastings, boutique wineries, chocolate and spirits, a sunrise balloon over the vines and wild kangaroos: here is which tours pick you up in Sydney, with honest advice on getting there from the city, the costs that are not in the price, and what happens if your tour or balloon flight is cancelled.
See our 8 picks
The best Hunter Valley wine tour from Sydney is the small-group boutique day trip that includes every tasting and lunch. It costs from €156 and takes up to 14 people. Staying in the valley? The half-day cheese and wine tour, from €81, is the most booked.
Our 8 picks for Hunter Valley wine tours
Four picks leave from Sydney. Four start in the Hunter Valley itself. Each card says where it starts.
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from €156 per person Our top pick 10 hours 4.7 (101) reviews on GetYourGuide
Boutique wine day from Sydney, all included
A 10-hour day from Sydney to three or four boutique wineries. All tasting fees are included, plus a cheese tasting and a lakeside lunch with wine. Groups are 14 at most. You must be 18 or over.
Best for Wine lovers based in Sydney
Check availability: Boutique wine day from Sydney, all included on GetYourGuide -
from €81 per person 4 hours 4.6 (538) reviews on GetYourGuide
Half-day cheese and wine tour
A 4-hour tour of at least three boutique wineries, with a cheese and wine match. You can look for kangaroos at the cheese stop. Pickup is only in Pokolbin and Cessnock. You must be 18 or over.
Best for Visitors staying in the valley
Check availability: Half-day cheese and wine tour on GetYourGuide -
from €150 per person 7 hours 4.7 (263) reviews on GetYourGuide
Full day of wine, cheese and chocolate
A 7-hour day with wine tastings, a cheese pairing class and a chocolate and wine match. Lunch is a grazing box. The listing says pickup from Sydney is not possible. You must be 18 or over.
Best for Food lovers staying in the valley
Check availability: Full day of wine, cheese and chocolate on GetYourGuide -
from €208 per person 3 h 30 min 4.7 (94) reviews on GetYourGuide
Sunrise balloon flight with breakfast
A balloon flight over the vines at sunrise, then breakfast with sparkling wine. You meet at Peterson House in Pokolbin, with no hotel transfer. It is not for children under 7, pregnant women, people with back problems or anyone over 140 kg.
Best for Couples and birthdays
Check availability: Sunrise balloon flight with breakfast on GetYourGuide -
from €78 per person Full day 4.8 (36) reviews on GetYourGuide
Wine and wildlife day from Haymarket, plus A$70 on the day
A full day by minibus with chocolate and cheese tastings and vineyard views. You also meet kangaroos and koalas. You must pay A$70 per person on the day for the wildlife park and koala experience. Lunch (A$30) and wine tastings (A$15) are optional extras.
Best for Animal lovers on a budget
Check availability: Wine and wildlife day from Haymarket, plus A$70 on the day on GetYourGuide -
from €81 per person 3 hours 4.4 (48) reviews on GetYourGuide
Half day of spirits, wine and cheese
A 3-hour tour of three boutique venues. You taste local spirits, wine with cheese, and a paddle of cider or beer. It starts in the Hunter Valley. You must be 18 or over.
Best for Visitors who like more than wine
Check availability: Half day of spirits, wine and cheese on GetYourGuide -
from €130 per person Full day 5.0 (7) reviews on GetYourGuide
Wine, cheese and kangaroos from Central Station
A small-group day with two winery tastings, a distillery and a chocolate factory. You look for wild kangaroos and get drone photos at a secret stop. Lunch is not included. You must be 18 or over.
Best for Small groups from Sydney
Check availability: Wine, cheese and kangaroos from Central Station on GetYourGuide -
from €141 per person 11 h 30 min 5.0 (1) reviews on GetYourGuide
Craft brewery day with lunch
An 11.5-hour day to four craft breweries, with a brewery tour, tastings and a one-course lunch. You meet in Haymarket. You need closed-toe shoes, and you must be 18 or over.
Best for Beer drinkers
Check availability: Craft brewery day with lunch on GetYourGuide
Which Hunter Valley wine tour to book
| Tour | From | Duration | Pickup | Starts from | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boutique wine day from Sydney, all included | €156 per person | 10 hours | Pickup included | Sydney (pickup points) | Wine lovers based in Sydney | The one pick from Sydney with every tasting and lunch in the price. |
| Half-day cheese and wine tour | €81 per person | 4 hours | Pickup included | Hunter Valley (Pokolbin, Cessnock) | Visitors staying in the valley | The most-booked Hunter tour here, with over 500 reviews. |
| Full day of wine, cheese and chocolate | €150 per person | 7 hours | Pickup included | Hunter Valley (local pickup) | Food lovers staying in the valley | The most food in one day, with lunch included. |
| Sunrise balloon flight with breakfast | €208 per person | 3 h 30 min | Meeting point | Pokolbin (Peterson House) | Couples and birthdays | The one way to see the valley from the air. |
| Wine and wildlife day from Haymarket, plus A$70 on the day | €78 per person | Full day | Pickup included | 497 Pitt St, Haymarket | Animal lovers on a budget | The lowest price from Sydney, but count the A$70 you pay on the day. |
| Half day of spirits, wine and cheese | €81 per person | 3 hours | Pickup included | Hunter Valley (local pickup) | Visitors who like more than wine | The shortest pick, with spirits and beer as well as wine. |
| Wine, cheese and kangaroos from Central Station | €130 per person | Full day | Meeting point | Central Station, Haymarket | Small groups from Sydney | Rated 5.0, but from only 7 reviews so far. |
| Craft brewery day with lunch | €141 per person | 11 h 30 min | Meeting point | 812 George St, Haymarket | Beer drinkers | The one beer pick. Its 5.0 rating is from just 1 review. |
Boutique wine day from Sydney, all included
€156 per person10 hours 4.7 (101)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Starts from
- Sydney (pickup points)
- Who it suits
- Wine lovers based in Sydney
- Why we picked it
- The one pick from Sydney with every tasting and lunch in the price.
€81 per person4 hours 4.6 (538)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Starts from
- Hunter Valley (Pokolbin, Cessnock)
- Who it suits
- Visitors staying in the valley
- Why we picked it
- The most-booked Hunter tour here, with over 500 reviews.
Full day of wine, cheese and chocolate
€150 per person7 hours 4.7 (263)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Starts from
- Hunter Valley (local pickup)
- Who it suits
- Food lovers staying in the valley
- Why we picked it
- The most food in one day, with lunch included.
Sunrise balloon flight with breakfast
€208 per person3 h 30 min 4.7 (94)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Starts from
- Pokolbin (Peterson House)
- Who it suits
- Couples and birthdays
- Why we picked it
- The one way to see the valley from the air.
Wine and wildlife day from Haymarket, plus A$70 on the day
€78 per personFull day 4.8 (36)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Starts from
- 497 Pitt St, Haymarket
- Who it suits
- Animal lovers on a budget
- Why we picked it
- The lowest price from Sydney, but count the A$70 you pay on the day.
Half day of spirits, wine and cheese
€81 per person3 hours 4.4 (48)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Starts from
- Hunter Valley (local pickup)
- Who it suits
- Visitors who like more than wine
- Why we picked it
- The shortest pick, with spirits and beer as well as wine.
Wine, cheese and kangaroos from Central Station
€130 per personFull day 5.0 (7)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Starts from
- Central Station, Haymarket
- Who it suits
- Small groups from Sydney
- Why we picked it
- Rated 5.0, but from only 7 reviews so far.
€141 per person11 h 30 min 5.0 (1)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Starts from
- 812 George St, Haymarket
- Who it suits
- Beer drinkers
- Why we picked it
- The one beer pick. Its 5.0 rating is from just 1 review.
- Small groups: Boutique wine day from Sydney, all included (up to 14 people); Full day of wine, cheese and chocolate (up to 14 people); Sunrise balloon flight with breakfast (up to 12 people).
- All 8 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are “from” prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Winery tours from Sydney that pick you up
Four of our picks start in Sydney. The boutique day picks you up at points in the city and includes every tasting. The other three meet in Haymarket or at Central Station.
With a driver, you can taste wine and not worry about the drive home. The Hunter is about 2 hours each way, so expect a long day.
Hunter Valley cheese and wine tours
Three picks pair wine with cheese. The boutique day from Sydney has a cheese tasting. The half-day tour has a cheese and wine match. The full-day tour adds chocolate and a grazing-box lunch.
Half-day Hunter Valley wine tours
Two half-day tours start in the valley. The cheese and wine tour takes 4 hours. The spirits, wine and cheese tour takes 3 hours. Both suit a morning or an afternoon if you sleep nearby.
Sydney to the Hunter Valley: day trip or stay the night
Cessnock is about 160 km from Sydney, about 2 hours by road. Trains run to Maitland, Newcastle or Morisset, with buses on to the valley.
A day trip works with a tour from Sydney. The balloon meets at sunrise in Pokolbin, so stay a night for it. Our guide to where to stay in Sydney lists hotels in Pokolbin.
Planning more than one trip? Our guide to Sydney weekend tours compares the Blue Mountains and Port Stephens too. For a coast trip by train, go from Sydney to Wollongong.
Tips before you book a Hunter Valley tour
What is not in the price
One tour from Haymarket adds A$70 per person on the day for the wildlife park. Lunch is extra on some picks. Cellar door fees vary, so check each listing.
Check where the tour starts
Four picks start in the Hunter Valley. The half-day tour picks up only in Pokolbin and Cessnock.
Bring ID
Most picks are for adults 18 and over. One listing asks you to bring a passport or ID card.
If your plans change
All eight picks show free cancellation on GetYourGuide. Check the cut-off on the listing before you book.
Wear the right shoes
The brewery day asks for closed-toe shoes. Open-toed shoes are not allowed.
Hunter Valley wine tours: questions and answers
How do I get to the Hunter Valley from Sydney?
What is there to do in the Hunter Valley?
Do I need to be 18 for a Hunter Valley wine tour?
Are tasting fees included?
What happens if the balloon flight is cancelled?
More Hunter Valley tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideMore day trips from Sydney
Sources (1), facts checked on 25 October 2026
Written by the Things to Do in Sydney editorial team.